1. Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to air vents for use in providing ventilation to and from an enclosed region within a building, such as, for example, a room, closet, office, restroom or the like. More particularly, the present invention relates to an air vent for use in providing ventilation to and from an enclosed region within a building, such as, for example, a room, closet, office, restroom or the like, wherein the air vent prevents access to an area exterior to the enclosed region therethrough.
2. Description of the Related Art
Office buildings, commercial establishments, industrial plants, educational institutions, residential homes and the like, typically include a plurality of enclosed regions, such as, for example, rooms, closets, offices, restrooms or the like, defined therein for occupancy by office personnel, customers, employees, students, residents or the like. The building and the enclosed regions each require ventilation and exchange of the air contained therein with the air exterior to the building existing in the surrounding ambient. Typically, return air, that is, air being removed from the enclosed regions and expelled from the building into the ambient, is pumped from within the enclosed regions and out of the building by a heating, ventilating and air-conditioning (xe2x80x9cHVACxe2x80x9d) system which typically comprises a series of large fans and a network of inter-connected air ducts connecting the respective enclosed regions of the building to the exterior of the building.
Filtering of the return air to remove, air-born particles, such as, for example, dust, debris, smoke and the like, is typically performed at the outlet end of the HVAC system just prior to expelling the exhaust air therefrom. Further, the return air is typically not filtered at the respective inlet ends of the return air ducts, which respectively communicate with the numerous enclosed regions. Because the return air is not filtered prior to entry thereof into the return air duct network, air-born material is permitted to accumulate within the air duct network at various locations throughout, thereby increasing the risk of a so-called xe2x80x9cduct firesxe2x80x9d therein, as well as decreasing the overall operating efficiency of the HVAC system. It is therefore desirable to provide an air vent for use with an HVAC system of a building. It is also desirable to provide an air vent for use with an HVAC system of a building, wherein the air vent removably receives a filter therein for use in removing airborn particles therefrom. It is furthermore desirable to provide an air vent for use with an HVAC system of a building, wherein the air vent removably receives a filter therein for use in removing air-born particles therefrom, and wherein the air vent is provided at an inlet end of a return air duct.
Similarly, penal institutions, mental hospitals and other secure facilities require ventilation and exchange of the air contained therein, and of the air contained within the cells, rooms and other confined areas therein, with the air exterior thereto existing in the surrounding ambient. However, unlike a non-secure facility, a secure facility must not present an opportunity for a confined individual to escape therefrom, such as, for example, through the HVAC system, or present an opportunity for the confined individual to insert an article of contraband therein, such as, for example, a weapon, drug paraphernalia or the like. Thus, the respective inlet ends of the return air ducts are oftentimes integrally formed with the wall portions which define the respective enclosed regions. A removable air vent is not typically provided at the inlets ends of the return air ducts connected to the wall portions of a secure facility, as this may present an opportunity for a confined individual to remove same and escape from the secure facility or to insert contraband therein. Rather, the wall portion is typically provided with a security screen having a plurality of apertures therethrough through which air from the enclosed region may pass into the return air duct network.
Access to the return air ducts from the enclosed region is prevented by the security screens, which, as stated, are integrally-formed with the respective wall portions defining the enclosed regions. Thus, a filter cannot be positioned inwardly adjacent the security screen to remove air-born material from the return air prior to entry into the return air duct network, as maintenance personnel would not be able to remove and/or clean same from accumulated air-born material, dirt or debris.
It has been further observed that air-born material instead accumulates on the security screens, which are neither accessible nor replaceable, thereby decreasing volumetric flow of air from the enclosed regions into the return air duct, decreasing overall ventilation efficiency, decreasing the quality of air being removed from the enclosed regions, and increasing the likelihood of so-called xe2x80x9cduct firesxe2x80x9d due to ignition of the accumulated air-born material. It is therefore desirable to provide an air vent for use with an HVAC system of a building, wherein the air vent provides secure access to an air duct connected thereto.
There are no air vents known to Applicants whereby attachment of the air vent to an air duct provides secure access thereto, and wherein a filter is removably received thereby.
The present invention is for a security vent for use in a secure facility, such as, for example, a penal institution, a mental hospital or the like, or for use in a non-secure facility, such as, for example, an office building, commercial establishment, industrial plant, educational institution, residential home or the like. More particularly, a security vent according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a housing assembly having an open first end fixedly secured to an inlet end of a return air duct and an open second end fixedly secured to a wall portion of an enclosed region of the secure facility, such as, for example, an inmate cell, and defining an opening through the wall portion by which air may be conveyed from the enclosed region, through the housing assembly and into the return air duct. A drawer assembly is slidingly received by the second end of the housing assembly between a closed position and an open position, wherein the drawer assembly is securable to the housing assembly by a latch assembly when the drawer assembly is in the closed position, and wherein a filter tray is exposed when the drawer assembly is in the open position. Removal of the drawer assembly from within the housing assembly is prevented by first and second stops provided on an inner surface of the housing assembly. A filter is removably received by the filter tray when the drawer assembly is in the open position and is slidingly received within the housing assembly when the drawer assembly is in the closed position. The latch assembly is mounted within the housing assembly to prevent unauthorized opening of the drawer assembly and requires a latch key designed specifically therefor to unlock.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an air vent for use with an HVAC system of a building.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an air vent for use with an HVAC system of a building, wherein the air vent removably receives a filter therein for use in removing air-born particles therefrom.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an air vent for use with an HVAC system of a building, wherein the air vent removably receives a filter therein for use in removing air-born particles therefrom, and wherein the air vent is provided at an inlet end of a return air duct.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide an air vent for use with an HVAC system of a building, wherein the air vent provides secure access to an air duct connected thereto.
A security vent according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a housing assembly mounted to a support, the housing assembly including a side wall portion having first and second distal ends thereof and defining a passageway therebetween; a drawer assembly having a filter-receiving slot therein, the drawer assembly being slidingly received by the housing assembly second distal end, the drawer assembly being moveable within the housing assembly passageway between an open position and a closed position, wherein the filter-receiving slot is disposed within the housing assembly when the drawer assembly is in the closed position, and wherein the filter-receiving slot is in communication with a region outside the housing support when the drawer assembly is in the open position; and, a latch assembly mounted to the housing assembly, the latch assembly being moveable between a locked position and an unlocked position, the latch assembly being received by a latch-receiving notch provided in the drawer assembly when the drawer assembly is in the closed position and the latch assembly is in the locked position.